The Underappreciated Magic of Underarm Waxing
You may prefer to let hair grow in the winter, or maybe you shave daily... whatever floats your boat, underarm waxing is my absolute favorite area to wax. Especially in the summer, it's an easy & affordable service that will leave you feeling luxurious & smooth and ready for many confident high fives.
First things first! Put down your razor! Hold off shaving for 5-7 days before your scheduled waxing appointment. It will be well worth the wait. Lightly exfoliate the area in the few days leading up to your service. This helps prevent ingrown hairs and skin irritation by ensuring dead skin cells don't accumulate in your hair follicles after waxing.
What to expect: Your esthetician will cleanse & dry the underarm area and possibly apply corn starch to dry everything so the wax adheres nicely to the hair but NOT to your skin. Depending on your hair growth pattern, it may take one or more passes of small sections to remove all the hair from the roots. A calming herbal emulsion may be applied afterward to soothe any redness. We use a unique blend from Yonka Paris which contains essential oils and extracts that are soothing, healing, and antimicrobial. Avoid extremely hot water or sweaty activities for a day or two after your wax to avoid irritation.
How to maintain your new stubble free underarms: Use a gentle cleanser and wash cloth to exfoliate a few days post wax. The hair will slowly grow back as new soft hair instead of sharp cut Fred Flintstone stubble. People often think hair grows back thicker after shaving. While this IS a complete myth, the reason it seems to be true is that shaving cuts the hair off mid-shaft. The mid-shaft is usually darker and thicker, so your grow out tends to appear thicker and more "stubbly," whereas hair that grows back from waxing is quite fine and soft. To avoid getting impatient and shaving, try pre-booking your summer under arm waxes 3-4 weeks apart. You can always reschedule if your fuzz hasn't filled in by then. Waxing is most effective when hair is about 1/4" long or about the length of your eyelashes.
Now go out and enjoy your razor-free summer!
Be well,
Karen
Introduction
Traditions are the timeless threads that weave through the fabric of our lives, connecting us to our roots and shaping our sense of identity. While many of us associate traditions with holiday rituals and celebrations, their significance extends far beyond these festive occasions.
In this blog post, we will embark on a journey through the rich history of traditions, exploring their evolution and why they continue to play a pivotal role in our lives, both during the holidays and year-round.
During these shorter days and cold, long nights, many of us are spending our evenings getting cozied up in our sweaters or blankets and possibly thinking about the upcoming holidays. While some of that might give you the warm fuzzies, thinking about the holidays can also stir feelings of stress and anxiety. Whether dinner parties, company events, or family dinners with not-often-seen family members, these opportunities can be a great time to connect and feel the holiday spirit. Annddd they can also open us up to difficult people and difficult situations that can cause us to feel overwhelmed or even lead to emotional shutdown at a time of year we might like to otherwise enjoy.
Is it me or is that time just ticking away? How’d it turn into Friday? I swear I was just shaking my fist at the Monday morning sky whispering, “Not you again!” Do you ever feel like you have just enough time in a week to do what the company wants, what the kids want, what the community wants? Then your to-do list becomes a to-doom scroll? If it’s rolling under the car, it’s probably too long. What if we could help you think about one less thing and help you make some feel-good choices this season?
Self-Care Check-In: Not Feeling So Hot?
How does your self-care look these days?
Do you have all the time you need to fit in exercise, eating well, and taking care of your mental health? Does your work day stay within its tidy bounds? Or does your to-do list affect your interactions with your family, your children, your partner? Does everything just go totally smooth and as expected every day? If you’re a busy professional (or just a living human), I’m guessing you’re balancing a lot and can probably answer NO to most or at least some of those questions
You're not alone. Life can get hectic, and it's easy to put ourselves last on the list of priorities. If you’re like me you think, “Oh yeah, I’ll schedule that massage when I get home. “ Nope! No I will not. I will get caught up making dinner, helping the kiddo with homework, answering texts from three days ago, and trying to remember to sit down. I often say, “I need an adult!” Cause let’s be real—we could all use the help of another adult from time to time. And even this adult struggles to prioritize self-care, despite being surrounded by a team of people at The Pearl believe that self-care is essential for overall well-being and happiness.
HUMAN CONNECTION IS ESSENTIAL FOR OUR WELL-BEING.
Do you ever find yourself caught in between feeling both lonely and overwhelmed by social interactions? In a world where we are constantly surrounded by people, yet feel disconnected and isolated, it's easy to fall into the trap of comparing our lives to others through social media—feeling left out, questioning why we aren't receiving invitations or participating in the same activities as our peers. This critical voice inside our heads fuels self-doubt, pushing us to measure our worth based on what others are doing. The more we delve into this cycle, the more overwhelmed we become, until human connection itself feels like just another burden on our never-ending to-do list. And these hard feelings can be detrimental to our health…increased cortisol (stress hormones), lack of sleep, and can negatively affect our mental health. While we may jokingly throw around the phrase “compare and despair,” there’s a lot of truth to it. Never before in human history have the highlight reels of nearly everyone we know been constantly visible to us 24 hours a day.
As a queer person who has worked in a touch-centric industry for decades at this point, I can assuredly say that my relationship with touch was not always a simple or positive one.
The challenges faced by the queer community, which often go unnoticed by a heteronormative society, deserve attention and understanding. The narratives presented in stories, movies, advertisements, religious teachings, friendships, literature, and societal norms perpetuate the notion that there is a singular correct and acceptable storyline for people's lives, dismissing any other experiences as deviations to be concealed or left unspoken. Without counterbalancing messages to combat these pervasive feelings of exclusion, many of us have grown up with an inherent sense that our very essence as individuals is fundamentally flawed.
Being a mom is fucking hard. No matter how amazing a person is, this is an inescapable truth. And when you can tell it’s hard from a distance, you know it’s exponentially harder firsthand. Stereotypes aside and progress included, there is still an undeniable societal expectation that mothers bear the brunt of the mental load when it comes to caring for the family. From planning meals to organizing schedules to managing budgets, to maintaining a career, the to-do list for moms appears never-ending. Add to that the mental labor of keeping the family together, managing everyone’s emotions, and often being expected to be the primary caregiver for children, and it’s no wonder that so many mothers feel overwhelmed and exhausted.
Spring is here, and along with the buds on trees and flowers peeking out from the earth, it's also a time to consider some health shifts for the season. Spending time outdoors, taking advantage of fresh produce, and reevaluating habits can all contribute to a refreshed mindset and physical health. Getting outside for some sunshine and fresh air, even for just a few minutes during your lunch break or a coffee date with a friend, can boost your mood and vitamin D levels. Incorporating fresh fruits and vegetables into your diet can support improved digestion, energy levels, and overall health. Spring is the perfect time to reevaluate habits and make positive changes to prepare for warmer weather and longer days ahead.